How networking can extend your Marketing Reach on a scale of hundreds or even thousands

How the QUALITY of your networking depends on how many people in your network have you Top of Mind and as their First Choice

How being Surprisingly Helpful to people can earn you a lot of good will

Today, we’re going to discuss the most important event that happens in the entire networking process– the One-on-One Meeting.

The One-on-One meeting, more than any other meeting, is where you can earn your way to Top of Mind and First Choice with someone.

You don’t automatically become Top of Mind and First Choice for someone merely because you’re in the same networking group. You must do more.

The One-on-One meeting is the ideal opportunity to do more.

Here are some ways you can have a truly memorable One-on-One:

Pre-Meeting

Look at the other person’s LinkedIn profile and/or Facebook page. Understand their background and their interests, with an eye to being helpful.

Know, or find out, who their ideal customer is. Don’t be afraid to ask them before the meeting. You might even say that you’re clarifying so you can bring some ideas for warm introductions with you to the meeting.

Spend time thinking deeply about people and resources to which you can introduce the other person. Be creative. This is much more meaningful if done before, rather than during, your meeting.

During the Meeting

Spend significant time asking them all about them – their “story” (everyone has one), their business, the hardest thing … and most enjoyable thing … about running their business, who they’re really like to get to know, etc. Take notes! Ask them to repeat things so you get them.

Relax. Be genuine. Laugh.

Share your story when the time is right. Don’t take too much time, but take enough time. Don’t be canned. Be real.

Tell them the ways you’d like to help them. Ask permission to make specific introductions.

After the Meeting

More important than anything else: Do what you promised to do as fast as humanly possible. It is incredibly impressive when someone follows through quickly and thoroughly. A follow up within 30 minutes of your meeting is 10x more impressive than a next-day follow-up. NOT following up on the things you promise is a sure way to ensure you are NOT Top of Mind or First Choice.

Stay Top of Mind with strategic reminders. DO NOT simply add them to a spam list for your newsletter. If you’d like to have them receive your newsletter, ask permission first. (More on strategic reminders in a future blog)

If you do the above, you will earn your way to the Top of a lot of Minds and be many people’s First Choice.

What are some best practices you’ve seen for One-on-One meetings?

]]>https://certusnetwork.com/how-to-have-a-great-one-on-one-networking-meeting/feed/0Top of Mind, First Choicehttps://certusnetwork.com/top-of-mind-first-choice/
https://certusnetwork.com/top-of-mind-first-choice/#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 15:16:26 +0000https://certusnetwork.com/?p=848874Right now … RIGHT FREAKIN’ NOW!! … there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people here in the Denver Metro area who are actively looking for exactly what you are selling. This is a fact. Let that fact sink in for a minute.

Not only that, tomorrow … and the next day … and the day after that … there will be several new people who will join the hunt for what you are selling.

This truth is exciting and is what gives us hope.

The problem? You don’t have any idea who 99.9% of these people are who are who are looking for what you’re selling. You can’t be everywhere, knowing what everyone is thinking. If you could always know who these people were, how easy would your business life be?!

This is where Marketing steps in.

The Gold Standard in good marketing is to be there with a compelling message right at that moment when a person decides they need something like what you are selling.

This is why effective networking can be such great way to market what you’re selling.

With a great professional network, instead of being in one place at one time you can effectively be in fifty, or a hundred, or even a thousand or more places at one time! They can be your eyes and ears on the market.

My dad was a Piano Tuner. His “magic marketing moment” was when someone realized their piano sounded horribly out of tune and had a reason to get it back in tune. On any given day, there were undoubtedly hundreds of people in the area where he lived having that “magic moment.” The only question was: Which piano tuner would those people hear about first as having a solution to their problem?

It took him a while, but eventually his phone rang off the hook with people he had never heard of calling him who had been referred to him. At some point he never had to make a cold call ever again. If I had to guess, I would say my dad had well over 1,000 people willing to give a referral if his need ever popped up in a conversation.

Don’t we ALL want to get to that point … yesterday?

Well, this concept is great … in theory.

But here’s the million dollar question: When people in your professional network hear the magic words from someone looking for what you’re selling, will the people in your network actually say something? And if they do say something, will they recommend you instead of someone else?

If you can say yes to both of those questions about someone, you have a REAL member of your professional network. This is someone for whom you are both “top of mind” and “first choice” when one of your ideal customers crosses their path. If someone you know isn’t willing to speak up and recommend you to someone looking for what you’re selling, can you really count them as part of your professional network?

It is an enlightening exercise to make a list of people for whom you are, without a doubt, Top of Mind and First Choice.

How do you EARN the right to be Top of Mind and First Choice with someone?

Here are three thoughts on how to earn the pole position in your network’s mind …

1. There are two types of people who will give a referral about you and your product/service:

a. Those who have purchased and used what you are selling … and really liked it.

b. Those who have not purchased what you are selling … but really like YOU. Being “surprisingly helpful” is the best way to get to that point fast.

2. Your professional network has to be very clear about the pain you are solving. The simpler, the better. (E.g. “My piano is out of tune and I want it back in tune.”)

3. Your professional network needs to know that you really want and appreciate referrals. You do that by asking for referrals and then ALWAYS expressing genuine appreciation after receiving a referral.

What do you think of the idea of being “Top of Mind” and “First Choice” with your professional network?

What are some ways you’ve found to earn the “pole position” in the minds and hearts of your professional network?

My mom and dad each owned a tiny business (they’re now retired). My dad was a piano tuner and my mom was a lawyer. They both, over time, became wildly successful at what they did. They both built their businesses largely through networking. They networked at networking events, trade organizations and through their church.

Do you know how you could tell they were great at networking?

By looking at the front and sides of their refrigerator.

In fact, if your fridge gets to the point where it looks like my mom and dad’s fridge, you will know that you also have a wildly successful business.

What in the world do the front and sides of your refrigerator have to do with succeeding in business?

If you saw my parents’ fridge, you’d understand. Their fridge is always covered with invitations and announcements of weddings, babies, graduations … and, yes, funerals … from people in their network.

That being said, my parents would never actually call their network a “network.” Instead, the people represented on their refrigerator were, first and foremost, dear, dear friends … who also happened to do business with them. They weren’t strangers. Instead, they were a real part of each others’ lives.

Relationship vs Transactional Networking

I believe there are two types of networking – relationship and transactional.

In “Transactional Networking” you share leads and make referrals because you are obligated to do so. With this type of networking, you have a contractual obligation to bring leads to get leads. It’s quid pro quo / mutual back-scratching all the way.

And guess what? There’s nothing wrong with Transactional Networking. It can be fast and effective.

Transactional Networking does, however, have its limitations. It’s biggest drawbacks are that it stops when the contract stops … and the number of referrals don’t really grow over time. Why? Because it’s a contract rather than a relationship where you genuinely know, like and trust the other person.

With “Relationship Networking,” you build deep and real relationships with people as human beings. You go out of your way to get to know them personally and do whatever you can to help them as you can, both professionally and otherwise.

OVER TIME, Relationship Networking leaves Transactional Networking in the dust. It builds and builds and builds until your phone is constantly ringing from referrals coming from every direction. And it never stops until you decide to retire!

But Relationship Networking is hard because it takes time and genuine effort. In fact, my mom, from lots of experience, thought there was a 3-Year Rule for starting any business. She thought it took 3 years to build a strong enough referral network for a person to have a solid business. She thought it took 5 years to get to having a thriving business where you could really build some wealth.

This makes sense. “Knowing, liking and trusting” aren’t merely words. It’s impossible to become known, liked and trusted by visiting four or five networking events. It doesn’t work that way because we’re all human. And humans take time to truly connect.

To earn your referrals requires consistency and investing your time in helping make your community a better place.

So the questions are:

Do you have the patience needed to really succeed?

Are you willing to be consistent and help make our community better with your unique personality and gifts?

If you are willing to do those things, someday your refrigerator will look like my mom and dad’s.

So, what do you think about Relationship Networking? Have you had, or seen others have, great success through Relationship Networking?

]]>https://certusnetwork.com/great-networking-business-results-and-my-parents-refrigerator/feed/4Be Surprisingly Helpfulhttps://certusnetwork.com/networking-tip-be-surprisingly-helpful/
https://certusnetwork.com/networking-tip-be-surprisingly-helpful/#respondWed, 31 May 2017 21:13:20 +0000https://certusnetwork.com/?p=848857I believe that the ultimate goal of networking as a Go-Giver is to give so freely, thoughtfully and effectively to others that they decide to fully engage their minds and hearts on your behalf. You want to get to the point where they are thinking about how to help you as they are driving down the road and have nothing else to think about. You want to be top-of-their-mind whenever they meet one of your ideal clients.

To get to that point with someone requires something more than a smile, a handshake and a business card.

I’ve found that the best way, bar none, to achieve this level of engagement in others is to be “surprisingly helpful.”

When you help someone in a surprisingly meaningful manner, you activate two powerful, innate laws of human persuasion:

– LAW #1, The Law of Reciprocity: This law states that most people feel obligated to repay in kind what another person has provided for them. People naturally give back the kind of treatment they have received from others. In fact, if they don’t, they feel a nagging sense of indebtedness.

The most obvious examples of this are Christmas cards and birthday gifts. If someone gives you one of those, you feel obligated to give them one in return. Don’t you?

In the book Les Miserables (my favorite work of fiction), Bishop Myriel’s giving to the convict Jean Valjean is so surprisingly generous that it changes Jean Valjean’s life forever. I LOVE this!

People who consistently don’t give back in kind soon develop a reputation they’d prefer they didn’t have.

This rule is so powerful and pervasive, you could call it a “Golden Rule.”

– Law #2, The Law of WOW!: When you live the Law of Wow!, you consistently exceed the expectations of others. When someone expects X from you but you deliver X plus Y instead, they say “Wow, that was pretty cool.” Then they feel obligated to compensate you for that extra mile. They can’t help it!

I owned a window cleaning company. At the end of our jobs we were receiving tips about 20% of the time. We wanted to increase that percentage. We started cleaning the mirrors in the bathrooms and any glass patio furniture … at no additional cost … and pointed that fact out at the end of the job. What happened when we exceeded our customer’s expectations is by this little fraction? Our tip-rate went to over 80% AND the amount of our tips more than tripled!

Don’t you do this for the waitress or hair stylist who does something extra for you?

These laws are just as powerful when you are networking, if not even more powerful.

So … what are some specific things you can do to be “surprisingly helpful” to your networking partners to draw on the powers of the Law of Reciprocity and the Law of Wow! and earn the right to have them engage their hearts and minds on your behalf.

Let’s say you have a one-on-one meeting with someone. Here are three things you could do to be surprisingly helpful to the other person:

– Do some preparation before the meeting.

– Look at their LinkedIn profile

– Think of people you know to whom you could introduce them; make those introductions during or immediately after the meeting

– Give away some of your best stuff. Don’t hide your best ideas behind a paywall.

Bottom Line: Your networking partners should walk away from meetings with you thinking, “Geeze, that was amazingly helpful! I wonder what I can do to help him/her out?”

Bread cast on the water like this truly does come back to you tenfold. I guarantee it

]]>https://certusnetwork.com/networking-tip-be-surprisingly-helpful/feed/0May 2017: Jason Sloan, Exterior Expertshttps://certusnetwork.com/may-2017-jason-sloan-exterior-experts/
https://certusnetwork.com/may-2017-jason-sloan-exterior-experts/#respondMon, 01 May 2017 17:38:18 +0000https://certusnetwork.com/?p=848837Jason Sloan is a Colorado Native, and it could be argued that he is a construction industry native as well. He graduated from Denver Public Schools, specifically the Career Education Center, where he specialized in construction trades, engineering technology and business management alongside his general studies. When not at school, he was an apprentice electrician, and did carpentry for commercial properties.

Jason Sloan with Guy Fieri at the 2017 International Roofing Expo

Jason’s experience has been in both commercial and residential construction, including framing, windows, drywall, painting and, of course, roofing. In 2005 he got more into restoration work which taught him about the insurance adjusting side of the construction business. Working with insurance companies to bring the client’s property back to its original condition, or better, became his new passion. In 2009, he founded Exterior Experts where he and his team help homeowners and commercial property owners and managers with every aspect of exterior repair.

Exterior Experts is a Colorado family owned and operated company specializing in roofing, windows, siding and gutters for both commercial and residential clients. They are CertainTeed ShingleMaster™ certified contractors, which means you can count on expertly trained staffed who went through rigorous training to receive the prestigious certification.

Denver’s weather is harsh year round, and your roof has to stand up to the conditions. CertainTeed is the industry-leading sustainable roofing product that Exterior Experts installs exclusively and is the reason they say, “We don’t just replace your roof we UPGRADE it!”

And, if that isn’t enough, you can trust their A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Expert Exteriors will:

Assess your roof damages

Our professionals will explain to you why certain damage has occurred, how to improve your roofing system, and even detail a comprehensive, budget-accommodating plan to upgrade your roof. Whether you are looking to increase the aesthetics of your current rooftop or need extensive repairs, we promise to do the job right the first time.

Work with the Insurance Company on Your Behalf

Many of our happy customers are those referred to us by insurance companies after wind and hail damage claims. We work with both you and your insurance company to achieve results, fast and easy. With us, you do not have to worry about immediate, out-of-pocket expenses when your roof has been damaged. We work with a variety of subcontractors to get your property back to its original splendor in as little time as possible.

Treat You and Your Property with Respect

Not only do we treat your home right, we treat you right too. We understand protecting your family and home is top priority, so we respect your property and are punctual to every appointment. We will show you the work that needs to be done, explain the process to your satisfaction, and answer any questions you have. Expert Exteriors is with you through the entire process.

If you have any questions or concerns, or should you desire to schedule an appointment for a no obligation roof inspection, feel free to give us a call. Exterior Experts hopes to be the only Denver roofing contractor you will ever need!

TESTIMONIALS

“Jason Sloan & Exterior Experts helped me deal with my insurance company to get my roof replaced. They made sure all damaged areas were fixed including the paint & gutters.” Annette S.

“Jason came and inspected our roof, took care of us through the whole process, and made sure all issues were addressed. We really appreciate his attention to detail, and we will definitely work with him again.” Nathan C.

At every Certus Event, members and guests are given the opportunity to offer something of value to be raffled off to the other participants. You may not understand how to really leverage this, or even why we do it. You also may not understand the art of the gift, and that’s what we hope to clear up today.

Why You Should Give Something Away in the Certus Raffle

Early in the life of Certus, a particular dog trainer was a member and attending Certus meetings with regularity. For the raffle, he gave away a free training session certificate. One after another, the certificates were gifted and used. The attendees who chose the dog training knew they would use them- they self-selected into working with the trainer. Seeing his methods, and more importantly, his results, they continued to give him business. They also gave him referrals and testimonials. The trainer grew his business in this way rather quickly.

The lesson: offer something that gives a taste of your product or service so that someone who is interested can self-select in. When you meet with the winner of your raffle, show them your methods and results so they can give you business, whether personally or through a referral or testimonial.

Why You Should Be A Winner in the Certus Raffle

Who doesn’t want to win free stuff? Believe it or not, some people chose to not participate in the raffle for a variety of reasons. We propose that you participate every time, and here’s why: putting your card into the drawing means you are given an opportunity to connect with another member on a deeper level. If you are networking and not wanting to build deeper relationships, you will not be successful in your efforts.

When you win a prize from the raffle table, the gifter gets your business card so they can follow up with you. Be open with them about whether you chose the gift for yourself or for someone else.

Guess what? You CAN chose a gift to re-gift! We all have a network of people in our lives who are looking for the services and products Certus members offer- so why not make a connection? This is why we network- to get referrals. Don’t ever feel like you are doing a disservice by giving the free gift to someone else you know can benefit. Think about who in your network could benefit from the gift and make it a point to make the connection.

What to Gift

So then the question becomes, what should you gift? Here are a few suggestions:

Do offer something you feel would be a value to the receiver. For example, a free car wash pass.

Don’t offer something that requires a purchase from you to receive. A discount off a service is helpful if it is something the client would use, however, consider what you may be able to offer for free to build the relationship instead.

Do offer something that will build the “know, like and trust” factor. For example, admission to an educational seminar or a free cup of coffee.

Don’t forget who your ideal client is. Think about what your ideal client would want so that they do choose your gift as a way to learn more about you. If you want to appeal to a homeowner, over a renter for example, offer something that a homeowner would want. Like the above example, someone without a dog wouldn’t take a dog trainer certificate. Think about who you want to work with and gear your gift that way.

Do be creative. It shows when you have planned ahead and bring a gift that took thought. Be creative in putting together a gift that will attract your ideal client, offer something of value and build rapport.

If you haven’t considered participating in the Certus raffle, we hope you will now consider a creative way to participate as both a gifter and a winner!

Social Media Languages was born from the culmination and cultivation of my life experiences. I chose the name for several reasons. Social Media is what I love and what I do, but Languages came from the fact that I am bilingual, each social media channel has a different “language” and audience and Ethics has multiple languages simply because it is subject to interpretation. So the word Languages can mean many things.

Before I started this business, I was the steward to the largest privately held Holocaust Library. It was located in San Antonio, TX and my job with this library was big. The originator, collector and historian who started this library was on a mission to combat Holocaust Denial. He was well regarded in the Jewish Community around the world and had made a name for himself with scholars, other historians and professors. He was well traveled, had been to many of the concentration camps, was a published by Oxford Press and one of the most interesting and eccentric people I’d ever known. He was passionate about gaining more knowledge, human rights, food, wine, friends and above all family.

This man was my father. He passed in 2011 and I took over his beloved library.

Yearly event that I started in San Antonio called Yom Hashoa (Holocaust Learn & Remember) In this picture I’m with Howie Nestel, Ramiro Salazar (San Antonio Public Library ED) Mayor Julian Castro

During my three and a half years, I rebranded the Library, conducted fundraisers, spoke at numerous events, taught about tolerance and the Holocaust to children and adults, worked with The San Antonio Library and San Antonio Library Foundation to start a yearly event on The Holocaust, but the ultimate goal was to find a new home to house this incredible and amazingly large collection and for it to stay together as one collection. You see, this Library had more than twenty thousand books and more than a half million documents and photographs! It was nearly three thousand square feet of material.

At the end of my time with the Library, I successfully got it donated and moved to Colorado University in Boulder. It was one of my greatest accomplishments! I will always be eternally grateful to all those who helped make this happen!

It was because of my experience with this Library, and my upbringing that I decided to make a commitment to #EthicsInSocialMedia.

What I see posted daily, and the lasting effects of these posts, comments, tweets, pictures, videos and memes is the reason I spend my days consulting, strategizing and educating on #DoingTheRightThing.

Teaching a course to Salon Owners to help their staff increase sales by using Social Media and Google Tools.

I want companies to achieve success and build know, like and trust with prospects and clients by creating Ethical and Responsible strategies that lift up, rather than damage, their brand.

“I took one of Aimee’s courses on Blogging and I really enjoyed it. She answered a lot of my questions and now I feel more confident about it.” ~Todd

I create Policies for their employees to guide them on company expectations in the Social Media space so they too can be on-board with the company’s strategy and help protect the Brand.

I educate our children to manage their digital footprint in a responsible way, and not lose out on opportunities because they made a bad choice by posting inappropriate content online.

“Aimee is awesome! She is easy to follow, work with and fun. Aimee helped us with putting together an amazing Social Media Policy that our staff is very on-board with. Thanks Aimee!” ~Meg

I want to see a world that is finding ways to reach out and maintain its grand reputation or repair one that is lost, by using good judgement, corporate social responsibility and good business ethics.

These big goals can be achieved with tenacity, strength and passion. This is what Social Media Languages is all about. These are the Languages I speak.

“I love Aimee’s workshops. I left with actionable items I can implement right away. I learned a ton! She makes everything so easy to understand and has a great sense of humor. We laughed a lot.” ~Samantha

At Colorado Free University annual un-job fair with Karen Ruth White, Keynote Speaker and Comedienne. I was a presenter and I sat on an expert panel.

My clients succeed in Social Media by creating a remarkable Social Media footprint. They put their social content to work for them using my proven strategies and policies. I will help you create a remarkable Social Media footprint too.

CONTACT

]]>https://certusnetwork.com/april-2017-aimee-skillin-social-media-languages/feed/0March 2017: Jeremy Dadah, H.M. Brown & Associateshttps://certusnetwork.com/march-2017-jeremy-dadah-h-m-brown-associates/
https://certusnetwork.com/march-2017-jeremy-dadah-h-m-brown-associates/#respondWed, 01 Mar 2017 15:22:03 +0000https://certusnetwork.com/?p=848776When we were young, we believed cars were glorious and amazing. They sparked our imagination and gave us something to look forward to. Do you remember what it was like as a kid riding in a car? To have the feeling you were traveling so fast, with your hand out the window, trying to catch the wind? Or skimming over the crest of a steep hill, making your stomach drop like the thrill of a rollercoaster?

I am here to tell you our cars are still ALL the things they were to us when we were young. We roll much of ourselves and our emotions into our car and, for some, our car defined our younger selves. It was there in good times and bad, and experienced our joy and sorrow… from our first girlfriend or boyfriend, first kiss, first apartment or first child, to our first road rage incident, first accident, and maybe the last time we hugged someone.

It saw the best of us and the worst of us. We drove too fast. We took chances. But we had fun and our car symbolized freedom. We could go anywhere, anytime.

Bruce Springsteen wrote…

“the night’s busted open, these two lanes will take us anywhere”

…because they would, they did and still do.

Heck, you can drive to the Arctic Circle, or as close as you can get to Antarctica, from where you are right now! When you get there, you’ll be in the middle of nowhere, but it will have been a darn good drive getting there.

We’re older now, which means we might take our car for granted. We grumble about maintenance and repairs, or want a bigger, better, smaller or more efficient car. We wish our car had fewer miles, more features, rode smoother or drove faster. I’m guilty, at times, of dreaming about something different. It isn’t until the day comes, when we must say goodbye, that we remember what a truly good car it was.

I’m proud to work in the car industry for one reason. I help you say “Hello” to the next phase in your life. I help you find the best car for you. One that will see all the next “firsts” that happen in your life, and maybe some seconds and thirds too.

Pictured here is one of my happy customers.

After a life in restaurants and industrial equipment sales, I love helping people with something as personal as buying their next car. Even if you believe a car is just a vessel, getting you from one place to the next, it still matters that it’s comfortable, safe and suits your lifestyle and future memories.

“Jeremy was great to work with. I could count on his honest opinion when I would get ahead of myself on making a decision. His availability was unbelievable as I was able to reach him at all hours with a simple text and he was quick to respond. He brought the vehicle I ultimately ended up purchasing directly to my house for a test drive. Paperwork was seamless and painless when everything was finalized. Not only did I get a sweet new ride, but I also gained a friend during the process. Work with Jeremy, you won’t regret it.” – Aaron Williams

Working for H.M. Brown and Associates has been a wonderful experience. The company was founded in 1986 and today, is the largest Auto Brokerage in Colorado. This comes with some pretty cool advantages. Because we sell so many cars, auto dealerships actually give us unbeatable pricing, unavailable to the general public, and we pass those savings on to you. Due to our volume, we’re also able to work with folks with low or bad credit and can get surprisingly low interest rates from banks and credit unions that are competing for our business.

I’m your one-stop-shop for all things related to buying a car. I help you…

Purchase or lease a new car, any make or model.

Find a thoroughly examined and approved used car.

Negotiate with dealers to get you the absolute best price on a new or used car.

Buy extra protection in the form of extended warranties, ding protection, excess wear and tear, and some windshield protection.

“Working with Jeremy on buying my new Jeep exceeded all expectations. He strips out the horrible and time consuming process of the dealership, focuses solely on getting you what you need at a price you want, and before you know it you have keys in hand! He approached my vehicle search as if it were his own, and throughout the process he was responsive and made everything so easy. I couldn’t have asked for a better car buying experience!” – Jessica Taylor

My happy customer, Jessica and her family

I enjoy the independence I’m afforded in treating my clients the way they deserve… with utmost respect and my absolute attention to detail. It makes me happy to show my clients how quick and simple it can be to buy a car, at substantial savings, allowing them to once again relish the car-buying experience.

Unlike dealerships, it benefits me in no way, to sell one car brand over another. Therefore, I always give my unbiased opinion on a car’s reputation, longevity and value.

“Jeremy was a delight to work with – very personable, knowledgeable and dedicated. He found the exact car I wanted very quickly, brought it to me for a test drive, and negotiated a favorable lease. Then, to my amazement, he sold my current car for a good price in a single day. As a busy professional, I really appreciated being able to just tell Jeremy what I wanted and letting him take care of every detail. – Karla Pierce

My goal is to make your new or used car, truck, van, or motorcycle purchase, hassle-free and take the least amount of your time. Vehicle purchases are huge purchases and one I believe you should enjoy and feel confident you’re getting the best deal and being treated fairly.

I look forward to helping you find and purchase your next car.

CONTACT

]]>https://certusnetwork.com/march-2017-jeremy-dadah-h-m-brown-associates/feed/0Initiate and End Networking Conversations With Easehttps://certusnetwork.com/network-effectively-start-end-conversation-networking-events/
https://certusnetwork.com/network-effectively-start-end-conversation-networking-events/#respondWed, 01 Mar 2017 06:00:28 +0000https://certusnetwork.com/?p=848093When you go to a business networking event, you’ll meet a lot of new people. But the reality is, you’ll have quality conversations with only one to three people.

To work the room effectively and have those quality conversations, here are a few pointers and samples to start and end conversations with ease.

How to break into a conversation and introduce yourself.

1) If there’s someone in particular you want to meet, ask around to see who knows them. It might be a good idea to ask the event organizer. When you find someone, chit chat a bit (see conversation starters below), but don’t end the conversation without moving on to #2 below.

3) If two people are engaged in conversation, walk up to them and stand nearby quietly and, if you’re at a CERTUS networking event, they’ll invite you to join in. If they don’t, shame on them. This is not what we were hoping for. Feel free to move on or simply begin contributing to the conversation.

4) If a small group of folks are engaged in conversation, look for an opening in their “circle” and step in. Listen quietly and wait for a break in conversation to greet one of the people next to you or begin contributing to the conversation.

5) If contributing to an existing conversation feels awkward to you, just listen. When the group begins to disband and pair off into separate conversations, now is a great opportunity to approach one of the people and initiate conversation. You might consider bringing up something they said that was interesting to you.

A note to seasoned networkers: Don’t close the circle. If you’re in conversation with a small group of professionals, looks at your formation. Are you standing in a circle with no space for someone new to enter? If yes, position yourself to create a break in the circle. This encourages someone new folks to join the conversation. It’s the new people you want to meet anyway.

You’ve got their attention, now what?

A great way to begin a conversation is by asking the person an open-ended question:

“What do you think of this event?”

“How long have you been networking with this group? What do you like about it?”

How to end conversations with ease.

Ending a conversation can feel unsettling because you don’t want anyone to think (or know) you don’t enjoy speaking with them. Regardless, there are ways to end conversations on a positive note and with a firm handshake.

Would any of these sample conversation enders work for you? Add your own twist to suit your personality.

“Marie, I’ve really enjoyed talking about hiking (or whatever). I promised myself I would meet and speak to at least three people today. I’ll be sure to check out the website you mentioned.”

”We should probably mingle and meet others. Can I get your business card? I’ll connect you with any (insert appropriate profession) I think might be good referral partners for you.”

“Mark, it’s been great chatting with you. You should meet Libby, she’s a bookkeeper and may be a good referral partner for your accounting practice. Follow me and I’ll introduce you (make the introduction). I’m going to go mingle and will let you two connect. It was great meeting you Mark.”

“I think we may be able to help one another. Are you interested in talking more over coffee? (schedule the appointment) Great, I’m going to continue mingling. I look forward to chatting more on Thursday.”

“I need to excuse myself… there’s someone I need to say hello to. It was great meeting you.”

“I’m headed to get more coffee, can I get you anything?”

“I need to start saying my goodbyes. It was great meeting you.”

What tips do you have for breaking into, or ending, conversations at networking events?

]]>https://certusnetwork.com/network-effectively-start-end-conversation-networking-events/feed/0Networking is a Waste of Timehttps://certusnetwork.com/networking-waste-of-time-get-introductions-referral-partner/
https://certusnetwork.com/networking-waste-of-time-get-introductions-referral-partner/#respondWed, 01 Feb 2017 07:00:57 +0000https://certusnetwork.com/?p=848704You’re wasting time networking if you want new customers. This isn’t what you expected to hear from a networking strategist who runs Denver’s best networking group (I know, right? ). The truth is, odds are slim your ideal customer will be assembled at a networking event. Even if your ideal client is there, odds are even slimmer they’ll hire you on the spot.

On the other hand, if your networking to meet new people who can lead to new customers, now we’re getting somewhere. Odds are great the networking event has assembled uber-connected business folks and this is where your pay-off is.

People who network have procured many connections over their career, making chances high that they know “someone” (or some-two or -three) who’s connected to your buyer. Their “someone,” who’s connected to your buyer, could be an outstanding referral partner for you. You want to meet their “someone.”

Wise business owners, entrepreneurs and sales people make networking a quest to meet referral partners, rather than coercing the people they meet to become their customer. Getting introduced to one new referral partner could mean 10 new prospects, and potentially 10 new business transactions, while one new client could mean one business transaction.

Do you see how the results (new business) could exponentially increase when you gain one referral partner as opposed to one new client?

Perhaps this example will illustrate this point. My friend Larry has a lawn-mowing company, which I’ll refer to as Lawns-R-Us for the purposes of this illustration. Larry has identified that Landscape Architects are good referral partners for him to get fresh referrals for Lawns-R-Us. You see, a landscape architect designs beautiful yards and, it’s assumed, doesn’t offer lawn maintenance services.

When Larry is having a conversation with someone at a networking event, as the wise company owner he is, Larry asks if they know any landscape architects they could recommend. If yes, Larry asks if they’d be willing to facilitate an introduction. Sure, Larry could open the yellow pages (metaphorically speaking) and cold call landscape architects. However, the warm introduction is much preferred.

For long term effectiveness, a referral partnership ought to benefit both in the partnership. This doesn’t mean each party gets and gives new clients. A win can mean a one has a partner to whom to refer clients when they don’t offer a service their client needs.

In Larry’s case, he rarely comes across people to refer to the landscape architect, as fewer of his clients want to redesign their yard. However, the landscape architect would likely have more happy clients who want to keep their newly designed yards well-manicured. Being able to refer Lawns-R-Us helps the landscape architect. This is a win-win-win scenario, the best kind, as the client wins too!

Before you go to one more networking event, identify at least five referral partners complementary to your company. This means five industries or professions where you fulfill a need (product or service) for their clients that they can’t fulfill themselves or vice versa… they fulfill a need for your clients that you cannot.

Armed with your five referral partners, ask folks for introductions to people they recommend in those industries or professions.

Do you want new business in 2017? Great… go network with the understanding that looking for new clients at networking events is a waste of time. Instead, asking for, and getting, introductions to referral partners leads to magic and checks in the mail.